Reviews

Student Responses to Review Topic: Food And Dining

Im not generally a picky eater, and I LOVED the food and service at both Ferris Booth and John Jays. The staff there are so nice, and John Jays has an ice cream machine, and JJ's has a Jamba Juice machine.

First-years are required to have meal plans. Dining hall food is tolerable. You won't starve. You won't gain the freshman fifteen unless you really try. Get off the meal plan and enjoy the many delicious foods of Manhattan as soon as possible. Kitchens in dorms are ample. Restaurants are just fantastic.

I've heard complaints from some and praise from others. I've always found dining to be very diverse, tasty, and mostly nutritious. They are making a large push towards eliminating allergens, so if you are vegan or vegetarian, you won't starve. However, many things still have dairy, including almost all deserts. Halal and kosher options are available as well; for anything else, you can apparently talk to a dietitian.

The food is pretty good but sometimes hit or miss. They try and make meals for people on different diets and there are 3 places that you can use meal swipes. There are also tons of cafes and if you get sick of the food you can always go out in NYC. The meals are tasty for the most part but if you are used to high dining or home cooked meals then you will be disappointed.
The only thing I worry about is the food safety. I have become sick from eating in the dining hall (John Jay) on numerous occasions and the school has done badly on some of the food inspections (rat droppings found, food left out too long, food not at the correct temperature).

The food is great. Anywhere you go will have better or worse amenities. Some students complain the food is not as good as what they eat at home, but the food is fine to me.
Columbia has three main places that offer food: for early morning breakfast, late brunch, pizza, salads, stir fries, and pastas head to Ferris; for late brunch and home-cooked dinners head to John Jay dining hall; and for late night/ after midnight snacks, pancakes, omelets, hamburgers, fries, etc. head to JJ's Place.
Columbia also has other cafes on campus that offer snacks and cold/hot drinks for purchase with Dining dollars, Flex dollars (both purchased from Columbia and only valid on campus and select locations, such as the 24/7 Morton Williams grocery and Chipotle), or cash/credit card.

Student Responses to Review Topic: Greek Life

It exists. Nobody pays it much attention, so far as I know. <10% of undergrads are involved, it's not really a presence on campus, the fact that Columbia is in New York sort of eliminates both the impetus for and possibility of serious frat life, but their houses are mostly pretty.

There are some fraternities and sororities here and some of them have housing near campus. For some students, rush week and pledging are easy ways to make very close friends for a lifetime but some students have had their share of disappointments in the process. It's hard to tell if a certain sorority or fraternity is worth joining, and I would suggest talking to an individual who may have left the one you want to join, but it may not be easy to find someone who has. So the best way to join a fraternity/sorority is by making sure your big brother/sister (assigned to you when you pledge) is truly someone you would count on as a close friend. Or you should join with another close friend whom you've known very well. Greek life can be a blessing, in so far as a student benefiting from relatable and dependable friendships, or a nightmare, in which misunderstandings can cause friendships to fall apart.

Many sororities and fraternities and they will definitely be helpful since making friends here can be hard and having study groups and support groups will help you achieve much more. Do join if you can!

Greek life is not too prominent because of the party scene in New York City itself, but can be found if desired. There are plenty of fraternities/sororities to choose from, and there are a fair number of students involved in Greek life.

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